What is a Sutrah?

Q1 : What is a Sutrah?

A : Something used by a person performing Salaah (as a barrier) between himself and one passing in-front-of him.

Q2 : What is its ruling?

A : It is compulsory, and whoever disregards it, has commited a sin. This is based on the saying of the Messenger Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wasallam): "If any of you wish to perform Salaah, then he must perform it towards a Sutrah (ie:with a Sutrah in front of him) and draw close to it". [Aboo Daawood and Ibn Maajah..among others]

And his saying: "Do not perform Salaah except that there is a Sutrah in front of you". (Muslim)

And his saying: "If any of you wish to perform Salaah, then let him place a Sutrah in front of him and draw close to it for indeed (shaytaan) the evil-one passes in front of him". [Ibn Khuzaymah]

And his saying: "Let any one of you place something similar to (the size of) the rear of a camel's saddle (in front of him), then perform Salaah". [Ibn Jaarood]

Answers by Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen rahimahullah